Return to Humanity (Annie x Bertholdt, Eren x Ymir)
by The Colossal Fangirl
Summary: It's been nine years since the war between titans and humans but prejudice still stays against the titanshifters separating them from humans. Bertholdt Hoover, now twenty-five needs to decide between life or death when his best friend, Reiner Braun commits suicide and the murderous cannibal, Eren Jäger is as wild as ever. Will Bertholdt decide to keep his humanity or not?


A few year after the war between the Titans, Titanshifters, and Military, the world was spilt; half for the humans, half for Titans and Titanshifters. To return to the place they once called home, the Titanshifters would need special permission given to them by King Armin Arlert and Queen Historia Arlert, whom they needed fortune to speak to. The only way one could earn money was through what anyone would expect: money and labor. In order to get a carrier and earn money, one would have to completely _human_ , not part titan. For the military, though most titanshifters were formally in it, forbid them after the war and if a Titanshifter passed the walls, they were immediately executed.

Inside the wall, it was ordered that all who participated in the wall, excluding the Titanshifters, were treated like royalty and given homes inside Wall Sina. Jean Kirstein, Graduate of 104 Trainee Squad and soldier of the Scout Regiment managed to make Mikasa Ackerman, whom was also a graduate of the 104 Trainee Squad and was former soldier of the Scout Regiment fall in love with him. Former Commander of the Scout Regiment, Erwin Smith enjoyed a peaceful life with his wife, Rico while Levi Ackerman had an exciting, action packed life with his lover, Zoë Hange. Connie and Sasha Springer lived a calm yet energetic life in the woods near their former villages. But outside the wall was vast land which was often explored by humans though the dangers were high due to the titans and the murderous, cannibalistic Eren Jäger, 104 Trainee Squad Graduate and former soldier for the Scout Regiment.

Bertholdt Hoover, a graduate of the 104 Trainee Squad and formally a Scout Regiment soldier loathed his life separated from civilization. Annie Leonhart and Ymir, who were friends of Bertholdt, would occasionally visit but it wouldn't heal him from his greatest loss, Reiner Braun. Reiner was his best friend but out of depression and a broken heart, he committed suicide. Bertholdt would sometimes make his way to the walls if he heard news about his former comrades wanting to see him, Ymir, or Annie but that was still quite rare.

One day while Bertholdt was alone, curled up in a ball, crying as usual, he thought he might commit suicide just as Reiner did. "It would be for the better of humanity for a monster and burden to die" he thought but before he could think even worse thoughts he heard a knock on his door.

"C-come… In…" He choked out.

"Hello, Bertho-" It was Annie, Bertholdt wonder why she stopped midsentence but then he realized why, "You're awfully thin, have you been eating at all? You'll starve yourself and I can't help but to notice how dehydrated you look!" Annie began to scold.

"W-what's… t-the p-point…? W-we're all j-just monster anyways…" Bertholdt replied in a weak, shaky voice.

"How would Reiner feel if he saw you like this?" Annie retorted.

"He can't… He's dead… D-didn't you see him hanging on the tree the other day...? He'd be glad to know that I-I'm s-smart e-enough t-to know w-why I have to d-die… L-look at Eren! He used t-to be a h-hero b-but n-now h-he's a psychopathic c-cannibal!" Bertholdt barely managed to yell, regretting every single hateful word he spat out and began to cry.

"I know what Reiner did! But remember, it was only nine years ago when Reiner was a perverted, proud, and strong man! You're twenty five, Bertl, life isn't hopeless." Annie retorted.

"Has anything been going on lately?" Bertholdt asked, regaining his voice.

"She's been trying to rehabilitate Eren and make him civil again. She said it's so you won't end up having more lovers than you need though I don't understand." Annie answered, annoyed. "Just remember to pull yourself together and be strong, like you used to be, Bertl." She smiled.

Later that day, Bertholdt decided to go outside for the first time in a fortnight. He cut himself with a knife and transformed into a titan as he saw Eren in titan form running at him covered in blood being chased by Ymir. Bertholdt began to slowly walk towards the wall as he noticed some people standing on top of it. Levi, Zoë, Jean, and Mikasa were on the wall probably waiting for someone to pass by.

"Bertholdt, tell me, how is Eren?" Mikasa asked. Bertholdt quickly shifted back to human and used the three-dimensional maneuvering gear he kept with him on and got to the top of the wall.

"Murderous… Cannibalistic… Reiner committed suicide about fourteen days ago… I saw him do it outside my window… Eren has been trying to kill anyone who dares to go outside the wall, so watch out…" Bertholdt replied sadly.

"That brat doesn't learn, does he? I have children of my own to deal with to worry about him… but still… he was my friend." Levi mumbled.

"Do you think I could run some tests on Eren to learn more about his behavior?" Zoë asked eagerly.

"Haven't you learned your lesson? Someone died because of your tests! Two actually! Nac Tius and Thomas Wagner!" Jean yelled.

"Don't get near my wife, brat. Nac Tius and Thomas Wagner died from titans, not tests. They weren't Titanshifters, moron. Sonny and Bean died because of Annie Leonhart." Levi corrected Jean.

"Should I… leave?" Bertholdt asked.

"Sorry about them, Bertholdt. Queen Historia and Armin have been doing well. They're trying to pass a law so you and the other Titanshifters can live with us… Anyways, bye." Mikasa explained.

"Goodbye…" Bertholdt said, jumping off the wall, shifting into a titan.

Bertholdt found his way home and shifted back into human only to see Ymir on top of Eren, both in human form.

"That's it, Eren… Don't bite me… If you do, I'll kill you." Ymir whispered into Eren's ear.

"That's a nice… er… beard you got there, Eren…" Bertholdt complimented Eren nervously.

"Bertl… kill… Bertl… kill…. Mikasa… live… Mikasa… live… Armin… live… Armin… live… Annie… kill… Annie… kill… Reiner… dead… Reiner… dead… Ymir… love… Ymir… love…" Eren replied in an unstable voice.

"No! Bad, Eren! Bertholdt and Annie are your friends!" Ymir yelled viciously slapping the cannibal.

"Bertl… friend…? Annie… friend…? Jean…. Volcano…? Ymir… lover…?" Eren asked Ymir nervously.

"Jean is not a volcano!" Ymir scolded.

"I think he means that Jean is hotheaded, Ymir…" Bertholdt said calmly.

"Bertl… right…! Jean… bad temper…!" Eren agreed.

"I'll just… er… leave you two…"Bertholdt said walking off towards a field of flowers.

Bertholdt picked a bouquet of icy blue lilies and headed towards Annie's home. Nervously he knocked on the door with the bouquet behind his back.

"Hello…? Oh, Bertholdt." Annie said coldly.

"A-Annie… I-I… l-love you… I-I always had… I-it's just… all those y-years ago y-you seemed to l-love Eren…" Bertholdt stuttered, blushing.

"I-I love you too, Bertl…" Annie confessed, her face equally red.

A few weeks later, a law was passed that allowed all Titanshifters to live inside the walls for free and they'd have to be treated the same way as any human. First, Ymir and Eren got married and soon after Bertholdt and Annie. There was a funeral for Reiner, which everyone had to attend to show how his or her prejudice affected him. Almost everyone who knew him cried, even Levi Ackerman, the emotionless soldier. But the war between the titans wasn't over yet and the new generation of soldiers would have to fight. –Fin-


End file.
